Franz von Stuck German, 1863-1928

Galerie Toelle, Barmen
Karl May (1842-1912, the German novelist)
Sale: Hugo Ruef, Munich, 9-11 November 1988, lot 1243
Acquired by the present owner in Paris in or just after 1988

Munich, Secession München, 1893, no. 546

Kunstchronik, Neue Folge, 1890/91, p. 413
Friedrich Pecht, ed., Die Kunst für Alle, 18, Munich, 1892/93, p. 378 
Otto Julius Bierbaum, Franz Stuck. Über 100 Reproduktionen nach Gemälden und plastischen Werken, Handzeichnungen und plastischen Werken, Munich, 1893, p. 64, pl. 21, illustrated
Otto Julius Bierbaum, Aus beiden Lagern. Betrachtungen, Karakteristiken und Stimmungen aus dem ersten Doppel-Ausstellungsjahre in München 1893, Munich, 1893, p. 10
Carl von Lützow, ed., Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst, Neue Folge, 5., Leipzig, 1894, p. 66
Anna Spier, 'Franz Stuck', Westermanns Illustrierte deutsche Monatshefte, vol. 76, Braunschweig, 1894, p. 557
H. E. von Berlepsch, ed., Die Kunst unserer Zeit, Munich, 9., Munich, 1898, p. 19
Franz Hermann Meißner, Franz Stuck. Das Künstlerbuch III, Berlin and Leipzig, 1899, p. 102, discussed; p. 93, illustrated
M. de la Mazelière, La Peinture allemande au XIXe siècle, Paris, 1900, p. 376
Aemil Fendler, 'Franz Stuck', Illustrierte Zeitung, no. 3,000, vol. 115, Leipzig, 27 December 1900, p. xi
Hans Vollmer, Franz Stuck. Bedeutende Männer aus Vergangenheit und Gegenwart, XI, Berlin, 1902, pp. 10 & 23
André Germain, Franz Stuck et Leo Samberger. Les idées dans la peinture allemande contemporaine, Paris, 1903, p. 9
Friedrich Pecht, ed., Die Kunst für Alle, 19., Munich, 1903/04, p. 4
Fritz von Ostini, ed., Franz von Stuck. Das Gesamtwerk, Munich, 1909, p. 24, illustrated
Fritz von Ostini, ed., Franz von Stuck. Acht farbige Wiedergaben seiner Werke, Leipzig, 1920, p. 6
Otto Julius Bierbaum, Franz von Stuck. Künstler-Monographien, vol. XLII, Bielefeld and Leipzig, 1924, p. 38, fig. 41, illustrated; pp. 46, 83 & 148, mentioned
Rudolf Oldenbourg and Hermann Uhde-Bernays, Die Münchener Malerei im neunzehnten Jahrhundert, part II: 1850-1900, Munich, 1922-27, p. 284
Dolf Sternberger, Über den Jugendstil und andere Essays, Hamburg, 1956, p. 105
Hans Hofstätter, Symbolismus und die Kunst der Jahrhundertwende, Cologne, 1965, p. 190
Franz von Stuck. Ausstellung zur Wiedereröffnung der Stuck-Villa am 9. März 1968 in der Stuck-Villa, exh. cat., Munich, 1968, p. 67
Fotografische Bildnisstudien zu Gemälden von Lenbach und Stuck. Ausstellung im Museum Folkwang Essen, exh. cat., Essen, 1969
Malerei nach Fotografie. Von der Camera obscura bis zur Pop Art. Ausstellung im Münchener Stadtmuseum, exh. cat., Munich, 1970, p. 94
Heinrich Voss, Franz von Stuck. Werkkatalog der Gemälde mit einer Einführung in seinen Symbolismus, Munich, 1973, p. 108, illustrated; p. 264, no. 49/194, catalogued

The painting is unlined and in good overall condition. The canvas has been restretched onto a new stretcher. Ultraviolet light reveals some scattered strokes of inpainting in Oedipus' body and in the hair and flesh of the Sphinx. There is also an area of retouching and a few small spots of inpainting addressing small surface damages in the rock upon which the Sphinx lies. Held in a Stuck-like reproduction frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted in 1891.

To be included in the supplement to the von Stuck catalogue raisonné being prepared by Albert Ritthaler and Thomas Raff.

We are grateful to Albert Ritthaler for his assistance in cataloguing this work.